Penalties for excessive water use and measures aimed at making buildings more water efficient will go into effect in the coming months, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on Wednesday.

Garcetti signed the measures into law this week. The excessive water use penalties apply to residential customers and go into effect May 3, followed on June 6 by building codes which require projects over $200,000 to adhere to new water conservation standards.

The water penalties will only be imposed on customers who reach the highest water rate tier and fail to work with the city to cut back on their water use. The penalties range from $1,000 to $40,000 depending on the severity of the drought and the duration of the violations.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Assistant General Manager Marty Adams said the penalties will not be immediately imposed. Instead, city officials will “seek to reduce high water use through a customized plan, education, rebates and incentives.”

The “green building code” backed this week by the mayor calls for indoor water use to be slashed by 20 percent through the use of more efficient plumbing and by controlling water use in the property’s irrigation systems.

Multi-family and commercial projects bigger than 50,000 square feet must also have sub-meters to encourage individual tenants to conserve water.